Oppenheimer - Review

Rating: 5 out of 5

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is an immense film in so many ways - and fully deserving of every accolade that has been bestowed upon it.

Essentially, it is the story of the man who created the Atom bomb and the build up the Trinity nuclear test in the New Mexico desert in July 1945 - the precursor to the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which, simultaneously, brought about the definitive end to the Second World War and the start of a frightening new world.

But being a Nolan film, this eschews the traditional structure of a biopic by adopting a resolutely non-linear approach and throwing in plenty more besides.

The film moves back and forth in time, taking in Oppenheimer's early years as a young scientist, his flirtation with Communism and his various romantic entanglements, before coming to his work in developing the Atom bomb and overseeing a community of scientists, right through to post 1945, when he found himself hounded by the McCarthyites investigating his Communist connections and increasingly discredited by his peers (including, most notably, by Robert Downey Jr's duplicitous Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss).

In doing so, it also invites an open and highly relevant debate about the morality of both creating and dropping the bomb, as well as its emotional effects on those behind it - the trauma it created, especially within Oppenheimer's own mind.

As such, Nolan's film serves as both fascinating historical insight as well as a timely reminder of the potential for destruction and civilization ending that living in a nuclear age still brings. The spectre of Bhagavad-Gita's Hindu scripture, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds", hangs heavy throughout.

In many ways, Oppenheimer is an extremely sombre film - something rare in a blockbuster in this modern age. But then Nolan has long preferred to treat his audience as grown-ups and isn't afraid to confront big issues or ask challenging questions.

But in other ways, he still knows how to exhilarate. His script is so sharp and gives rise to some genuinely thrilling conversations, which mesmerise in the hands of the terrific cast he has also assembled.

Cillian Murphy is, as his innumerable awards suggest, phenomenal in the central role, tapping into the complexity of such a formidable character on the world stage. He is in every scene but his performance is indefatigable in its fearless probing of every nuance in Oppenheimer's make-up. Likewise, Downey Jr is exceptional (and similarly deserving of the awards recognition) as Strauss - a vindictive manipulator whose self-serving inclination displays the type of quiet, menaced restraint that is rarely synonymous with the actor's typical performances. It's revelatory.

But as Nolan so often does, a big, starry cast manages to stand out in every department - no matter how big or small the part. Matt Damon is great as the hard-assed but loyal Lt Gen Leslie Groves, Emily Blunt is terrific as Oppenheimer's wife, Kitty, and the likes of Florence Pugh, Tom Conti, Kenneth Branagh, Josh Harnett, Jason Clarke, David Krumholtz and David Dastmalchian also stand out.

The only issues I had with the film related to Nolan's use of sex (rare in his films), which didn't feel necessary or add anything. If anything, the two scenes in question helped tip the film into 15 certificate territory, whereas a more universal 12A would have given it a greater platform for an even wider audience. It is, after all, the type of film that could be used in school curriculums, such is its relevance and potential for evoking serious debate. It also poorly serves Pugh's character.

The inclusion of a poisoning scene, early on, also lends the film an element of contention it doesn't really need - although, I could see why Nolan included it as a precursor to later events and the debate it could stir.

Minor quibbles aside, however, Oppenheimer succeeds as yet another tour-de-force from Nolan: a gripping, thought-provoking, challenging and utterly mesmerizing piece of filmmaking that has a frightening resonance and power for today's unstable world.